Southern Highlands and Sydney anaesthetist David Bell to face 57 violent charges

A three-day upcoming hearing might not be enough for a Southern Highlands doctor accused of 57 violent charges, with his lawyer also requesting to adjourn the hearing on newly revealed grounds.

A three-day upcoming hearing might not be enough for a Southern Highlands doctor accused of 57 violent charges, with his lawyer also requesting to adjourn the hearing on newly revealed grounds.

Dr David Bell, 41, did not appear at Moss Vale Local Court on Tuesday for the application to vacate the hearing, after checking himself into a private mental health facility in Sydney’s north shore.

The court previously heard Dr Bell is a prominent anaesthetist who has been employed at Bowral and District Hospital since 2018, and had private practices at Southern Highlands Private Hospital and St George Hospital in Sydney.

Dr David Bell, 41, worked at Bowral and District Hospital as an anaesthetist. Picture: Wesley Lonergan

The Mittagong resident now has six additional violent charges from 2020 and 2021 against him since last reported by The Bowral News, including common assault and assault occasioning bodily harm.

This brings his charge sheet to 16 counts of assault occasioning bodily harm, 15 counts of common assault, 11 counts of intentionally choking someone without consent, 10 counts of intimidation, three counts of destruction of property, false imprisonment, and being armed with the intent to commit an indictable offence.

Police previously allege he committed the offences against one victim in an ongoing pattern of abuse that spanned four years.

The abuse escalated at the end of last year when Dr Bell approached the woman while brandishing a Japanese cooking knife with the intention of intimidating her, according to police.

About a month later, police allege Dr Bell unlawfully imprisoned the woman.

Magistrate Mark Douglass previously granted Dr Bell’s request for bail and ordered him to live with family on Sydney’s north shore. He is also forbidden from travelling within one kilometre of Moss Vale except for court reasons.

The court heard he has been suspended from medical practice since the allegations came about in court, however could be able to practice again if he wins the court case.

On Tuesday, it was revealed by his lawyer that after a conference call on June 6, Dr Bell mentioned that he has mental health issues and has been treated for them for quite some time. A few days later he voluntarily admitted himself to a mental health clinic.

Magistrate Douglass questioned Dr Bell’s decision to go to a mental health clinic “at this particular point in time, knowing he has obligations and is on very strict bail and has to appear at the court.”

Dr David Bell’s matter will return to Moss Vale Local Court for hearing. Picture: Wesley Lonergan

Due to the new information, his lawyer was wanting to pursue an application on the grounds of mental health, and requested the hearing to be adjourned in time for written submissions to be ready and a medical report from Dr Bell’s psychiatrist.

He also said that given the large amount of charges, the matter might not be completed within the three-day period and asked the Magistrate for two more days.

The prosecutor questioned why a medical report couldn’t be prepared since June 9, but agreed that three days might not be enough for the hearing.

He did however say finding time in the future at a “small regional court” could be difficult and that the already allocated time “could be put to good use”.

He also pointed out the matter is one where “the alleged complainant has obviously been through a lot and the delay would have a significant impact on her”.

Magistrate Douglass acknowledged that the lawyer was only recently made aware of his client’s mental health but said there was still time for “defence to push through their efforts to try and assist the court to have this matter run to a timetable”.

“The matter has already been on foot for a significant period of time,” Magistrate Douglass said.

He also said a section 14 mental health application for a matter involving more than 50 violent charges “would be a difficult application to argue”.

Given the nature of the matter, Magistrate Douglass refused the application to adjourn the hearing, which will proceed from July 20 to 23.

He also said that if the matter is not finished within that time, he will “lobby for another two days”.

“I would be concerned with any complainant being part-heard,” Magistrate Douglass said.